1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an endoscope, and more particularly to an endoscope employing a flexible fiber optical light transmitting bundle designed for insertion into inaccessible places, such as the human stomach, intestines etc. for visual examination of these organs.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It has been known in the art to use a flexible fiber optical light transmitting bundle for an endoscope for insertion into inaccessible body cavities. Further, it has also been known to provide an annular balloon around the endoscope some distance back from the rounded tip to stably fix the end of the endoscope within the body cavities and enlarge the field of view of the endoscope.
In the conventional endoscope, however, since the balloon is annular in shape and the flexible part of a light transmitting tube is located at the center of the inflated annular balloon, the angle through which the flexible part of the endoscope can be bent is materially limited and the range of the field of view is also limited to half of the enlarged space within the body cavity.